In recent days, Ukrainian forces have intensified their efforts to hit Russian strategic areas in the rear. While the continuous shelling of Russian border villages by Ukrainian artillery continues, Kiev has targeted strategic facilities on the territory of the Russian Federation, including the Crimean bridge and the Desnogorsk nuclear power plant.
On 9 July, Ukraine attempted to hit targets in the Crimean, Kaluga and Rostov regions with missiles for its S-200 air defence systems, which were reused for attacks on ground targets. All their attempts failed, the Russian Defense Ministry said. Two missiles were shot down by air defense forces, while two others were intercepted by electronic warfare means.
The head of the Russian General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, ordered to "plan pre-emptive fire defeat" of storage sites and launch sites" of such missiles and other means of attack."
Local reports claimed that Kiev forces targeted the Desnogorsk nuclear power plant in the Smolensk region and the military airport in Kaluga. Both missiles were shot down by the Russian air defence in the Bryansk region. The first one fell in a field, the second on the ground of a sawmill.
Another missile was shot down over the city of Donetsk, which is located in the Russian Rostov region. No one was injured in the attack, but the debris caused light damage to several buildings.
The Crimean peninsula was also attacked. A Ukrainian missile was shot down by the air defence forces near Kerch. It was aimed at the Crimean bridge, but fell into the waters of the Sea of Azov. There were no injuries or damage.
At the same time, Ukraine's Deputy Defense Minister Anna Malyar admitted that the attack on the Crimean bridge in the fall of 2022 was carried out by the Ukrainian military.
"273 days since the first strike on the Crimean bridge to disrupt Russian logistics," she wrote in her post dedicated to the 500 days since the start of Russian military operations in Ukraine.
The Kiev regime had previously denied its involvement in the attack, although Moscow initially pointed to Ukraine's guilt. Eventually, Kiev proudly stated that the purpose of the attack was to disrupt the Russian military's supply, but as a result, Kiev killed only three civilians and hit no military targets. In response, Ukraine was subjected to massive attacks by Russian missiles and drones on military and energy installations throughout the country.
Last night was no exception. Russian forces launched missile strikes on Ukrainian military installations in the Nikolayev and Sumy regions, as well as in the Ukrainian army-controlled regions of Kramatorsk and Konstantinovka. The previous day, targets were hit in the Kirovograd and Dnipropetrovsk regions, including the location of territorial defence units in Krivoy Rog.
